Transcript
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR COLEMAN: Thank you. Good morning. It's a pleasure to be here, and I am delighted to announce that the United States is making an additional $100 million commitment to Pakistan to help it recover from the devastating 2022 monster monsoon floods. This is in addition to the $100 million that we have already committed, bringing our total commitment to $200 million. It is a reflection of our strong and deep partnership with Pakistan, which extends back more than 75 years and our really deep commitment to help and assist the Pakistani people. Our money is going to a number of different areas – both humanitarian assistance, but also helping the Pakistani government and people build back better. Investing in clean climate solutions, smart agriculture, economic growth, [and] helping to refurbish and rebuild schools and medical facilities across the country. Again, this is, I think, a reflection of the fact that we've been there in many other situations for Pakistan going back to the 2005 earthquake, and previous floods in 2010 and 2016/17, where we have similarly made significant investments to help Pakistan weather the impacts of the humanitarian situations that it's faced. So, I'm going to take a few questions and appreciate you coming here.
QUESTION: Hi. Good morning. Emma Farge from Reuters. I was just wondering whether you think that Pakistan, as a middle income country, should be eligible for loss and damage financing. And if so, why didn't you label it as such today? Thank you.
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR COLEMAN: Why didn't?
QUESTION: You label it as such. Why didn't you mention that with the $100 million pledge? Thanks.
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR COLEMAN: So we are very committed to helping countries around the world recover from the effects of climate induced humanitarian situations and also to invest in adaptation. We know that for every dollar that we invest in prevention and adaptation can save us as much as $10 in response. And as the largest humanitarian donor in the world, we are very interested in mitigating the costs of humanitarian crises around the world. So as you know, here in this situation with Pakistan, there are millions of people who are still displaced and still suffering the consequences of the flooding last year. And many of them are the most vulnerable in Pakistan society. And this is true around the world – that the impacts are facing many of the most vulnerable – so even within middle income countries you see tremendous needs.
MODERATOR: Next question will be Nina.
QUESTION: Thank you. Nina Larson with AFP. I was wondering what kind of guarantees you're asking for in terms of the use of the money – and how satisfied you are with the safeguards that are put in place within the framework? Thank you.
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR COLEMAN: So we are always very cognizant and conscious and very alert to making sure that our funding around the world is used in a responsible fashion with transparency and accountability. We are working closely with the Pakistani government, both at the national, regional and local levels, to make sure that the funds are used appropriately, that there's good coordination, and that part of the monies that we're investing is going to help improve on that disaster response coordination, to make sure that all parts of the Pakistani government are really synched up, and also working very collaboratively and in coordination with the international donor community.
QUESTION: Yes – from Kuwait News Agency, KUNA. I wonder if this fund is based on a sustainable way of funding, or it is just on specific projects?
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR COLEMAN: So, we have long term funding that – we have both – there's humanitarian funding, but we also invest in the longer term development for countries like Pakistan. And we've done that for many, many years. We have invested in agriculture in Pakistan for decades. We've invested in energy and technology, education, health care, all sorts of things in Pakistan. You know, we can point to more than a million students who have enrolled in basic education as a result of our efforts – 40,000 teachers who've been trained in Pakistan and pedagogy and improved learning outcomes. So there are many different interventions that we've made that address the longer term needs, even as we do short term, more humanitarian assistance – so it's a combination of both.
MODERATOR: One last question, please. Go ahead.
QUESTION: Thank you very much. Alex Cadier from Feature Story News. With the total for the rebuild estimated at that $16 billion figure, I wonder – quite a simple question – what has prevented the U.S. from committing more funding relative to that total number and stopping at $200 million at this stage?
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR COLEMAN: Well, we announced $100 million last summer, $100 million for this conference, and that's what we're able to do right now. But that doesn't mean that's the end of what we do. We have a long term relationship with Pakistan. We have invested in its economic growth and resiliency over the decades, and we will continue to do that, and we have seen our trade with Pakistan grow. Pakistan's exports to the United States are the largest of any country in the world and in fact, greater than countries two and three combined behind that. And so, we are very focused on making sure that Pakistan has the ability to grow through trade and investment, and not only in humanitarian assistance. But, as I said, we are there with the Pakistani people and really intend to help the country build back better. Thank you.